# People want to do Zero Work and Make More Money

Source: https://www.wysr.xyz/p/people-want-to-do-zero-work-and-make
Kiwi News: https://news.kiwistand.com/stories/People-want-to-do-Zero-Work-and-Make-More-Money?index=0x64c656e7b5033b1ea7e36b6ef0e2d19fe1f20b0f3eb5a5c554d377dcc3a3ea5662b07950
Submitted by nounishprof.eth on 2023-07-30 UTC, 9 upvotes, 0 comments

## Summary

People want to do as little work as possible while getting as much reward as possible, and the author argues that anyone trying to change someone's behavior should weigh the work they ask for against the benefits they offer. The piece gives examples such as people picking up a $20 bill from the ground but not digging into a sewer drain for more, choosing credit cards based on perceived rewards, and waiting in line for hours for a free bucket from Finn's. It states that behavior change is work and that rewards can include dopamine, saved time, reduced effort, and cash, with the closer someone is to "asking nothing and giving something," the more likely they are to change.

## Article

This energy but for everything all the time forever

Welcome to my First Principles series.

I think all models of the world are wrong, but some are useful.

This is one of the ideas I default to when I have to make a decision with imperfect information.

You’ll probably pick up $20 off the ground.

You might chase it a little if the $20 starts to blow away.

But if it blows into the sewer drain across the street, you’re probably not about to pry open the grate and spelunk to search for that “free” cash.

This is the continuum of “People want to do zero work and make more money”.

But it’s more than that.

It’s why we suck at changing habits.

It’s why we mostly choose our credit cards on the perceived rewards we get.

And (paradoxically) it’s also why Finn’s will stand in line for hours for a free bucket.

If you do anything that involves persuading others to change their behavior in some way…

It’s important to take a beat to think about how much work you’re asking for and how much free money you’re giving.

Whether it’s designing an app, selling a product, or negotiating with your life partner, this principle isn’t about giving things away for free - although that might be the right answer for you - it’s about consciously accounting for the basket of costs vs the pile of benefits you’re handing to whoever you’re asking to do work.

Behavior change is work.

Dopamine releases, returned time, reduced effort, and actual honest-to-god dollar dollar bills are all “more money”.

Naturally, this tension lives in a landscape of competing choices, distribution advantages, opportunity costs, user contexts, switching friction, ecosystem expectations, and evolving user preferences - but it’s the fundamental question of every user decision.

The closer you are to asking nothing and giving something, the more likely it is that person is going to change their behavior.

And the more you give, the bigger the change a user is willing to make 🫡

I hope this added value to your day.

Please share this with someone who might find this interesting!

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